Expect more 360-degree replays while watching NFL games. Intel will install its high-tech cameras in more stadiums across the NFL as part of an expanded partnership with the league that extends through the 2018 season. The tech giant announced today that its “freeD technology” will capture live action in select NFL stadiums, adding to existing installations in San Francisco, Baltimore, and Houston. Intel did not provide specifics on which additional stadiums will be equipped with the cameras. The company said the replays will serve “fans on NFL’s digital and mobile platforms.” In a statement, NFL SVP of Digital Media Vishal… Read More
Intel is upping its virtual reality game. The tech giant today announced a multi-year deal with Turner Sports and the NCAA to stream March Madness college basketball games in virtual reality, starting with this month’s NCAA men’s national tournament. Intel is building off its acquisition of virtual reality startup Voke last year. Before that deal, Voke partnered with Turner and the NCAA to broadcast the 2016 Final Four and National Championship in virtual reality for the first time. Now Intel, with help from Turner Sports, is doubling down. Starting with this weekend’s Sweet 16 and Elite 8 matchups, the company will stream six games — including… Read More
First the Super Bowl. Now NBA All-Star Weekend. Intel’s drones made another appearance on a big-time sports stage, just two weeks after appearing at Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl halftime show. During Saturday’s NBA Slam Dunk Contest, part of an annual NBA event that also includes the All Star Game and 3-point contest, Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon used Intel’s “AscTec Neo” drone to perform one of his dunks — the first ever to be completed with assistance from a drone. “There it is, the Intel drone!” TNT announcer Kevin Harlan said on the national live broadcast as an Intel logo appeared on screen.… Read More
Update: The drones — 300 of them — were indeed from Intel. The company collaborated with Lady Gaga and supplied the 280-gram quadcopters, which can create more than 4 billion color combinations. The drones created a red and blue moving star formation; an American flag; and a Pepsi logo followed by Intel’s logo at the end of the show. You can watch the drones here. Update No. 2: As Wired notes, the drones weren’t actually flying in real-time — Intel pre-recorded the show earlier in the week. “Lady Gaga and the Super Bowl creative team wanted to pull off something that had never… Read More
If you’re an avid sports fan, it’s likely you’ve recently seen or heard about Intel. That’s because the 48-year-old tech giant is investing big in the sports world, a vertical where it sees opportunity to use its technology as a way to help both athletes and fans. GeekWire recently caught up with James Carwana, general manager of the Intel Sports Group, a new unit the company established this past September. He’s in charge of leading various sports-related partnerships, acquisitions, projects, and more that all make use of Intel’s products and services with wearable computing, virtual reality, connected devices, and more. Intel dabbled in sports… Read More
